WFP Expresses Cooperation Commitment With TASHICO -

The visit from WFP has also visited the MV Umoja, a ship that was used to transport a cargo of food from Mwanza Port to Uganda then South Sudan in a mission to feed the hungriest people.

By Staff Writer

MWANZA

THE United Nations’ World Food Program (WFP), world’s largest humanitarian organization, has expressed its commitment to continue working with the Tanzania Shipping Company Limited (TASHICO) on transporting food cargos.

WFP representatives from the headquarters in Rome, Italy have visited the headquarters of TASHICO in Mwanza to monitor and evaluate the TASHICO’s task of transporting food cargos from Dar Es Salaam Port to South Sudan through Uganda.

The visit from WFP has also visited the MV Umoja, a ship that was used to transport a cargo of food from Mwanza Port to Uganda then South Sudan in a mission to feed the hungriest people.

Speaking immediately after visiting the MV Umoja at Mwanza Port at the end of the week, WFP Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Ms Sala Maharenovic said that they have come to evaluate the cooperation they entered into with the TASHICO at that time known as the Marine Services Company Limited (MSCL).

She further said that they came to evaluate to see if the collaborations they started with their stakeholders in the country including TASHICO are productive for the two parties.

“This joint discussion is important in getting a detailed assessment and understanding what needs are needed now to further improve our relationship between WFP and TASHICO,” said the senior WFP official.

After receiving a visit from the WFP headquarters, TASHICO Managing Director, Mr Eric Hamissi said: “I am happy to receive this WFP delegation that has come to visit our Company’s headquarters; this continues to promote the good relations we have established.

“TASHICO has had a very close working relationship with WFP. I remember at that time our MV Umoja ship wasn’t well working but now, after the government injecting Tsh 19.5 billion in 2021 for major repairs, currently the MV Umoja is well working,” he said.

He added: “The arrival of this team from WFP is the beginning of seeing how to continue working together after our MV Umoja is parked for major repairs in 2019 and finally the ship is now returned for operations.”

On his side, the Head of the Transport and Supply Department of WFP Tanzania, Mr. Mamoud Mabuyu said: “We have come here with a delegation team from our Organization’s Headquarters in Rome, Italy where they have come to evaluate how we are working with our partners in the area of transport of which TASHICO is one of our great partners.”

“This visit has come after years that we have worked together, so the evaluation will make it clear how much our relations have been beneficial to us and to the organizations we are working with ,” the WFP Tanzania official concluded.

On her part, TASHICO’s Marketing Manager, Ms. Eugenia Punjila said that WFP has been transporting food and other aid needs via MV Umoja to South Sudan through Uganda.

“TASHICO applauding the the government commitment into supporting our projects, we are also looking for further help so as to continue to deal with the huge large cargo that will be available shortly after the construction of Standard Railway Gauge (SGR) is completed,” she said.

The MV Umoja veteran captain Bembele Mr Samson Ng’wita said that after the major repairs of the ship, there is a big change of its operations and efficiency compared to 10 years ago.

However, TASHICO is a state – owned entity which began it’s operations in 1961 under the name of TRC Marine Division, with a major zeal to advance the country’s shipping sector and has so far managed to execute a number of robust projects.

The projects, among others included those based on rehabilitation of the dilapidated vessels, building new ships as well as improving Tanzania’s water transportation, especially in the key populated water bodies of Victoria, Tanganyika and Nyasa lakes.

In 1997 the TRC Marine Division was transformed to MSCL, under the Companies Act chapter 212, on 08 December 1997 from the Railway Corporation (TRC), but it started operations on August 1, 1999 with 14 ships and one boat.

The move sparked some notable success, the company managed to own at least 14 ships as of 2015, saying out of the vessels, nine are based in lake Victoria, three and one boat serves at lake Tanganyika and two in lake Nyasa.

But by then, many ships were there for a long time, they became worn out and led to others being stopped from providing services to protect the safety of the vessel and the safety of people’s lives and their property.

The situation compelled the company to remain with only five active vessels by 2017, that used to sail at lake Victoria (MV.Umoja and MV Clarias), lake Tanganyika was served with MV Liemba and MT Sangara, and lake Nyasa was facilitated by MV Songea.